CPAP, APAP, or BiPAP: Which Should You Choose?

Three’s a crowd. But picking one option out of three viable therapy methods? That’s just as daunting as a crowded room.

Fear not! We’re here to discuss the functions of the three Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapies--and how each one can help treat your sleep apnea. This is by no means a definitive guide, as each case of sleep apnea is as varied as the patients who suffer from it, but we hope to give you a better idea of where to go on your path to treatment.

Flexible Functions

Right away, you should know the foundational function of each PAP therapy (Continuous, Automatic, and Bilevel) is to provide a pressurized environment that keeps your airways from closing while you sleep. But each treatment accomplishes this differently. We’re here to explain how.

CPAP

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is, by far, the most common form of therapy for sleep apnea because of its simplified solution to an obstructed airway. As the name suggests, it provides a continuous stream of pressure from a preset default and maintains that environment throughout the night.

APAP

Automatic Positive Airway Pressure (APAP) is slightly more complicated. It detects your air intake and adjusts the pressure it provides accordingly. This optimizes each inhalation for oxygen reception, and the machine is always capable of adjusting as necessary.

BiPAP

Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) is the most complicated of the PAP treatments. Why, you ask? It’s the same reason we call it “Bilevel”--whereas APAP therapy focuses solely on your inhalation pressure, BiPAP focuses on both your inhalation and exhalation. This means it’s the most active of all three treatments. So how do you choose which is best for you?

Pressure Picks

When you’re choosing the best PAP therapy for yourself, think of some simple “If, then” statements. If you can adjust comfortably to a continuous stream of air pressure, then choose CPAP therapy. This is often the first PAP treatment insurance companies cover, and a broad range of patients find success with it. On top of that, it’s the cheapest and quietest option.

If you aren’t adjusting comfortably to CPAP therapy—even to the point of feeling claustrophobic or choked by the constant air stream—then APAP therapy might be the way for you.

Its automatic adjustment can alleviate the overwhelming feeling of a continuous stream of air and keep you steady. (But it is more expensive.) If your sleep apnea is severe, or if both CPAP and APAP therapies feel too overwhelming for you, then consider BiPAP therapy.

Though it’s the loudest and most expensive therapy of the three, its dual automation allows for tremendous flexibility when it comes to the airway pressure with which you treat yourself. Ultimately, the choice is between you and your doctor. No patient is the same as any other, so every sleep apnea sufferer should consider all the options carefully before proceeding with therapy.

We hope now you can confidently pick from this crowd of three with confidence.